This application relates to a scroll compressor having capacity control valving.
Scroll compressors are becoming widely utilized in refrigerant compression applications. In a typical scroll compressor, a first generally spiral scroll wrap interfits with a second generally spiral scroll wrap. The interfitting wraps define compression chambers that entrap and compress a refrigerant.
Under various conditions in refrigerant compression applications, it may be desirable to reduce the capacity, or amount of refrigerant that is being compressed. As an example, should the load on an air conditioning system drop, then it would be energy efficient to reduce the amount of refrigerant compressed. Various types of capacity control are known. In one standard capacity control, valves open ports that communicate the compression chambers back to a suction chamber in the scroll compressor. When the valves are open, the refrigerant flows back to the suction chamber, and the amount of refrigerant that is fully compressed is reduced, thereby reducing the capacity, and the energy used by the compressor.
Various capacity control arrangements are known and have been used, however, in general, they have not provided as much flexibility as would be desirable.